Steering gear roller pin



Oct. 20, 1931. F. F. CHANDLER STEERING GEAR ROLLER PIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept'. 30, 1929 Oct. 20, 1931. F. F. CHANDLER 1,328,594

' STEERING GEAR ROLLER PIN Filqd Sept. 30, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Get. 20, 1931.

rocker arm partly in section and showing one UNITED STATES STEERING GEAEQLEEE This invention is an improvement in steering gears of theso-called cam and lever type, as shown for example in Ross Patent No.1,567,997, dated December 29, 1925. In said gears rotary motion of thesteering shaft is directly converted into rockin motion of the rockenarmshaft by means of an actuating member connected to the steering shaftand having a helical cam grooveengaged with a pin on an arm of therocker shaft.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofsuch pin and mount it in anti-friction roller bearings on the rocker armin such mannerthat the pin can rotate and adjust itself .to the groovein all positions of its arcual travel even though the ratio of the pitchof the groove varies steering gear equipped with my novel rollerpin andanti-frietlon mountings therefor.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through Fig. 1 in the plane of the rockershaft, the rocker shaft and roller pin being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the means of mounting the rollerpintherein.

Fig. 4 is a right hand end View of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a diagrammaticsectional view on the line 5-5 Fig. 2. I

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing ballbearings in place ofroller bearings. The steering gear may be of any suitable construction,that shown being a Boss. cam

and lever gear in which, as shown in Figs. 1

and 5, the steering shaft 1 has an actuating member 2 on its end withina housing 9. The

actuating member 2 is supported and con fined intliecasing byanti-frictionjbearings 20, such'qas used in the saidRossgear. z N

FRANKLIN E. CHANDLER'OF LA FAYETTE, lat ra tjass esea Te oss G AR & oon-Y COMPANY, OF LA FAYETTE, lNDIANA n ooEroEnTroN 0E INDIAN-A I 1.

The: actuating membjern2 has aflspiral groove 2a which 'isengaged bythehead-i'of a rollerpin'rWhi ch is rotatably mounted in anti frictionbearings in thearm ,5a of the rocker shaft "5 which is shown as journaleol:

ina bearing9b in casingl9, and a bearing in a lateral extension 9a ofsaidcasing. v

As shown in Fig. 3 the roller-pin-t has a cylindric shank 4a which ismounted in anti friction bearings within a bore in the rocker arm 5a..Eachbearing is shown in Fig. 3 I

as consisting of, an inner 'annularmemb'er" 6,

an outer. annular. member 6a, and interposed rollers 65. When rollers.are employed they maybe cylindric.ortapered-asdesired-l The adj acentimembers 6 ofthe bearingsare; slight lyspaced apart on'the'ishanlrof thejoin by means ofan annulus or ring 5?) :which 1 is:

seated in an annular groove in thebore'; 1

y The roller pin is confinedto the -arm',:and in ,therol ler bearings,by means of a 'nut 40 screwed on the endof shank 4a opposite head- 4:a'washen being ipreferably interposed-be-- tweenthe-nut and the outerbearing member.

The nut may be locked in adjusted position by api'n or cotter 4d orother suitable means. It will be seen that both ends of the roller pinshank are supported in anti-friction bearings, and the roller-pin 4 isfree to rotate on its own axis, as maybe required, when the actuatingmember is turned to cause the pin to move the rocker arm to the right orthe left; but any end thrust on the pin is transmitted through theanti-friction bearings to the rockerarmea.

As illustrated in diagram, Fig. 5, the axis a of the roller-pin4traverses anarc b as the arm 5a moves from one extreme positionto theother; and in so doing the axis a of the roller-pin intersects the planeof the axis cl of the actuating member 2 at two points a, 0, at whichpoints the axis of the pin 4 is in the same plane as the axis of themember 2 and perpendicular thereto.

The opposite side walls of the helical groove 2a are preferably slightlytapered or beveled outwardly and the head 4 of the roller pin issimilarly tapered so that diametrically opposite sides of the head willfit against and closely engage the opposed walls of the cam groove.

In Fig. 6 the construction-is similar to that shown in Fig. 3 exceptballs are shown instead of rollers. r

Axial movement of the pin is prevented by the oppositely disposedanti-friction bearings whichtransmit end thrust on the pin direct to thearm, the inner bearing transmitting outward end thrust on the pinto thearm; and the outer bearing transmitting inward end thrust on the pin tothe arm; so that the pin can neither be drawn into the groove 7 norforced away from the groove by the wiping; action of the wall of thegroove on the head of thepin when the latter is operating above or belowthe plane of the axis of the actuating member as described.

The invention is not restricted to the specific type of gearillustrated, and may be adapted to other types of gears-in which onemember is operatedby a pin engaging a spiral groove in another member.

- I claim: 7

In a steering gear having a spirally grooved actuating member, a rockershaft, and an arm on said shaft projecting beside the actuating memberand having: an opening parallel with the rocker shaft and opposite theactuating member, and an annular groove in the wall of said openingintermediate its ends; anti-friction bearings disposed in said openingat opposite sides of said groove, a roller "pm having avshank rotatablymounted in said bearings and a tapered head engaging the groove inthe'actuating member; means securing theroller pin in the anti-frictionbearings,and a spring-ring in said groove cooperating with said means toprevent axial movement of the pin and hearings in the opening. r

' FRANKLIN F. CHANDLER.

